Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander Merrill Kelly (hamstring) is expected to make his next start after leaving his last outing on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers with hamstring cramping. Kelly's next start will be either on Monday or Tuesday at Coors Field against the division-rival Colorado Rockies, depending on how Kelly feels. "We're going to see it through Merrill's eyes. He's fine today, he should be fine tomorrow. If he continues to be fine every day, we will make a decision if it's going to be Monday or Tuesday," Lovullo said on Friday. Coors Field isn't an ideal location to pitch after an injury scare, but the 35-year-old Kelly will be close to a must-start in that one just based on the opponent. Kelly has been inconsistent in his six starts since returning from a long IL stint on Aug. 11, posting a 5.85 ERA with 23 K's, 10 walks and seven homers allowed in 32 1/3 innings.

Updating a previous report, Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (hamstring) was forced to exit early during Wednesday's start against the Texas Rangers. The right-hander was pulled in the fifth inning due to right-hamstring cramping. It sounds like a minor issue, and the team is hopeful that Kelly can make his next start against the Colorado Rockies. Before exiting, Kelly gave up three earned runs over just four innings of work. For now, fantasy managers should consider Kelly as day-to-day.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (undisclosed) was forced to leave his outing early on Wednesday at Chase Field against the Texas Rangers with a trainer in the fifth inning. The injury didn't appear to be arm-related for Kelly, but he has dealt with cramping issues in the past. We'll pass along any updates on Kelly's condition when they become available. Before leaving with a trainer, the 35-year-old veteran allowed three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out three, so it clearly has not been a great day for him. As long as Kelly's exit wasn't actually arm-related, he could make his next scheduled start. Injuries have limited him to only 10 starts in 2024, and he entered his outing on Wednesday with a 4.08 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. Losing Kelly for an extended period of time could make him unavailable for a potential postseason run.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly looked like his old self on Thursday, going seven strong innings in a 3-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants. Kelly allowed just two runs on six hits and struck out eight while walking none. It is great to see a dominant performance like this from the veteran, as he has struggled since coming back in early August from a four-month IL stint. Kelly lines up to face Texas next week in Arizona, a middle-of-the-road matchup that will make him a tough call in standard sized leagues, but this outing makes that choice a little easier.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is officially set to return to the mound on Sunday afternoon to face the Philadelphia Phillies. Kelly has been sidelined since April 15 with a right shoulder strain. Prior to the injury, the 35-year-old held a strong 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and a 6:21 BB:K ratio through 24 2/3 innings of work. Last summer, Kelly logged 177 2/3 innings to the tune of a 3.29 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. With Kelly returning, the Diamondbacks now have six starters in their rotation, which means one of them could enter a long relief role. Kelly is worth adding in all leagues as he should provide stable ratios along the way but he is worth fading in DFS in his first game back.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) will "very likely" come off the injured list to start this Sunday in the series finale against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. All signs have been pointing toward Kelly making his long-awaited return to the starting rotation in the desert this weekend after he was able to throw 62 pitches in four innings in a minor-league rehab start with High-A Hillsboro on Tuesday. The 35-year-old veteran has been out since late April with a teres major strain in his right shoulder. We wouldn't recommend using him in starting fantasy lineups in his first start back against one of the best offenses in baseball on Sunday, but Kelly needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues. He was 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 21 K's in 24 2/3 innings in his first four starts before injuring his shoulder.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said on Thursday that starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session on Friday at Chase Field ahead of the series opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. It appears that Kelly's minor-league rehab assignment has concluded, and the hurler now lines up to potentially return from the injured list for Sunday's series finale against Philadelphia. He allowed three runs in four innings for the High-A Hillsboro Hops on Tuesday, throwing 62 pitches in the outing. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander has been on the injured list since April 23 due to a strained right shoulder, and although he belongs on all rosters in fantasy leagues for the stretch run, he'll carry a bit of risk in his first start back against the first-place Phillies. Over 24 2/3 innings (four starts) for the D-backs this season, Kelly holds a strong 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 21:6 K:BB.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) made his minor-league rehab debut on Tuesday, allowing three runs in four innings for the High-A Hillsboro Hops. Kelly went in with a target of 65 pitches, and he was able to reach 62, so he should be relatively stretched out at this point. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander has been on the injured list since April 23 due to a strained right shoulder, but there's a chance that he'll be ready to make his next appearance with the D-backs and won't need to make another start in the minor leagues. Kelly holds a strong 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 21:6 K:BB over 24 2/3 innings (four starts) in the desert this season and belongs on all rosters in fantasy leagues.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) will throw a three-inning simulated game on Wednesday. Kelly is getting close to making his return to Arizona's starting rotation after suffering a right-shoulder strain that has kept him out since late April. Barring a setback as he continues to stretch out his right arm, the 35-year-old veteran should be back in the desert by mid-August. Fantasy managers should grab Kelly off the waiver wire now if he's available, as he has the potential to be a high-end rotation arm when he's fully healthy. Before hurting his shoulder, he went 2-0 to begin the 2024 campaign with a strong 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and just six walks in 24 2/3 frames over four starts. Kelly went 12-8 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and a career-high 187 punchouts in his 30 starts for the Snakes a season ago.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Tuesday, July 23. Kelly felt something grab in his right shoulder while playing catch in the outfield at Oracle Park on April 20 and landed on the injured list back on April 23. He threw a bullpen session on July 9 and a simulated two-inning bullpen and 32 pitches on July 12. If the 35-year-old veteran avoids a setback on Tuesday, he should be cleared to start facing live hitters before eventually going on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment. While Kelly is running out of time in the second half of the season to help the D-backs rotation, he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy formats as a high-end starter when healthy. He allowed just six earned runs while striking out 21 and walking six in 24 2/3 innings over four starts early this season before straining his right shoulder.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) and Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will throw bullpen sessions on Saturday. They will probably each throw another bullpen after that before moving to the next step of facing hitters. "They're both feeling really, really good," Lovullo said. Although Kelly has made just four starts in 2024 due to a right-shoulder strain, he's the more attractive fantasy stash of the two injured D-backs hurlers. However, even without setbacks once he starts a minor-league rehab assignment, we might be looking at a late-August return for the 35-year-old veteran hurler. Rodriguez, 31, hasn't pitched at all for the Snakes this year after suffering a left-lat strain back in spring training. While E-Rod can be serviceable as a matchup-based streamer in deep-mixed leagues, his upside isn't as high as Kelly's.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will both throw bullpen sessions again on Friday. Kelly and Rodriguez also threw bullpens on Tuesday, with it being Kelly's first time throwing off a mound since going on the injured list in mid-April. The 35-year-old is a top-of-the-rotation arm for the D-backs when healthy and was 2-0 with a nice 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 21 K's in 24 2/3 innings over his first four stars in 2024 before getting hurt. Kelly should be stashed in all fantasy leagues, even though he may not rejoin the rotation until mid-August. Rodriguez, 31, injured his shoulder back in spring training and had a setback along the way, which is why he has yet to pitch in his first year in Arizona. E-Rod is eligible to come off the 60-day IL on July 26 and should be back before Kelly, barring another setback.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that starting pitchers Merrill Kelly (shoulder), Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) and Jordan Montgomery (knee) will all throw bullpen sessions on Tuesday. Kelly will be throwing off a mound for the first time since suffering a right-shoulder strain in April. The 35-year-old has the most fantasy appeal of the trio but may not be ready to rejoin Arizona's rotation until late August. E-Rod has yet to make his D-backs debut in 2024 after injuring his left shoulder in spring training. Montgomery is dealing with a right-knee injury and is eligible to come off the IL on Sunday. Depending on how he fares in his bullpen session, he could return before next week's All-Star break. However, the 31-year-old has been a disaster after getting a late start to the season.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said ahead of Wednesday's game against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers that starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is throwing out to 120 feet in his throwing program, and he thinks the hurler will throw on flat ground on Saturday. Recovering from a strained right shoulder, Kelly is making progress in his recovery but will need to resume throwing off a mound before taking a more significant step forward in his progression. It's not yet known if the D-backs will send Kelly out on a minor-league rehab assignment before he re-enters Arizona's rotation, but given that he's been on the shelf for over two months at this point, it's likely he won't jump right back into the major leagues when he's cleared for game action. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander logged a 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 21:6 K:BB over 24 2/3 innings (four starts) before getting injured and is worth stashing in all fantasy leagues.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is hoping to return from the 60-day injured list to the starting rotation in the middle of August after suffering a right-shoulder strain during a between-starts throwing session in late April. Kelly has been rehabbing at the team's spring training complex and is throwing out to 75 feet. It's the first time in his 15-year career that he's dealt with a soft-tissue injury, and he thinks the strain was due to the "heavy load the last two years." Kelly will turn 36 years old in October but needs to be held in most fantasy leagues after he went 2-0 with a strong 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings in his first four starts before his shoulder injury. The next big step in Kelly's slow rehab will be to get back on the mound and resume throwing bullpen sessions.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) will begin his throwing progression on Tuesday, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Kelly's last start with the Diamondbacks came back on April 15 against the Chicago Cubs before he was diagnosed with a right-shoulder strain. He has obviously been on a slow rehab program but is taking the next step by starting a throwing program this week. The 35-year-old veteran is going to eventually need to progress to throwing bullpen sessions before a required minor-league rehab assignment. Only after making at least several rehab starts will the D-backs consider bringing Kelly back from the injured list to rejoin the rotation. Kelly was looking good in four starts before his injury, going 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 21 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings. Keep Kelly stashed in fantasy formats.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is expected to start his throwing program next week. It's positive news for Kelly, but he still has a ways to go while recovering from a right-shoulder strain and may not make it back to Arizona's starting rotation until around the All-Star break in mid-July. Before going on a minor-league rehab assignment, the 35-year-old veteran needs to build his arm back up and throw off the mound at least a handful of times. Based on the way Kelly had looked early in 2024 before going on the shelf, he should be stashed in most fantasy leagues until he returns to fully healthy. Kelly is currently 2-0 this year with a 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings over his four starts.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is scheduled to undergo an MRI this week to see how his strained right shoulder is progressing. It's possible that he could begin a throwing program relatively soon if everything looks good, manager Torey Lovullo said on Wednesday. Kelly remains without a clear timetable for a return from the injury, and he isn't eligible to be activated from the 60-day injured list until late June. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander carries a 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 21:6 K:BB over 24 2/3 innings (four starts) for the D-backs while sitting on the shelf, and he's still worth a stash for fantasy managers who can afford the roster spot. With Kelly sidelined, Ryne Nelson and Logan Allen will help eat innings in Arizona's rotation.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) will shift to the 60-day injured list to free up a 40-man roster spot for incoming right-hander Matt Bowman from the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations. This is a fairly significant update for Kelly, considering manager Torey Lovullo said on April 23 that the hurler's strained right shoulder would undergo re-imaging in the upcoming weeks. As a result, the D-backs and fantasy managers will now be without Kelly until early July at the earliest. The 35-year-old right-hander was working to an excellent 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 21:6 K:BB over 24 2/3 innings (four starts) before heading to the IL, and he's well worth a stash for those who can afford the roster spot. Right-hander Slade Cecconi should continue functioning from Arizona's rotation, and he's trending up with a 2.25 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, and 11:1 K:BB across 12 frames (two starts).

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Tuesday that the team could be without starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) for at least a month. Kelly was placed on the injured list earlier in the day with a right shoulder strain. When asked if the 35-year-old would be back by the All-Star break, Lovullo said, "I don't know. Hard to say." This is a big blow to the Diamondbacks and fantasy managers, as Kelly had a 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 22.8% strikeout rate in his first four starts. Tommy Henry figures to slot into the rotation in Kelly's place, but fantasy managers may want to look elsewhere for immediate replacements.